CT angiography and arterial DSA in the evaluation of occlusive processes in pelvic arteries. Initial results

32 patients with iliac artery stenosis and occlusion were studied by means of CT angiography. The results were compared with the results of intraarterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Postprocessing was performed with Maximum Intensity Projection (MIP) and 3-D-display. 1. MIP: 27/37 stenoses/occlusions were correctly assessed, underestimation of 5 stenoses/occlusions (4 stenoses, one occlusion), overestimation of 5 stenoses. 2. 3-D-Display: 22/37 stenoses/occlusions were correctly assessed, underestimation of 9/37 (8 stenoses, one occlusion), two false negative results (one stenosis, one occlusion), overestimation of 4/37 stenoses. The MIP technique proved to be the only method to display the localisation of vascular calcifications with their exact topographical relationship to the stenoses and occlusions. MIP also proved to be valuable in controlling the position of intravascular stents. Complementary to DSA, the MIP method therefore seems to be a clinically valuable technique for calcified and noncalcified stenoses.